Hyderabad: NIMS RDA seeks assurances from Telangana govt for security; strike continues

Hyderabad: Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Hyderabad, has written to the director, seeking assurance from the Telangana government for the safety and security of healthcare professionals.

This follows a recent Supreme Court directive in the rape and murder case of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Call for Justice and Safety

Resident doctors’ demanded justice for the victim of the Kolkata incident and her family, as well as a safer working environment for healthcare workers in Telangana.

Dr. Rajkiran Emmadi, President of the RDA and a specialist in Medical Oncology, stated, “We cannot ignore the risks healthcare workers face daily. The state government must take immediate steps to ensure our safety.”

Specific Demands

The RDA has outlined specific measures that they believe are necessary to prevent future incidents:

1. Justice: Ensuring justice for the victim and her family members.

2. Safety:

- Revision and Implementation of the Telangana Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2008: The doctors are urging the state government to revise and enforce this act, which was adopted in 2016 for Telangana State, to offer better protection to healthcare workers.

- Implementation of the Special Protection Force (SPF) Act: Dr. Chandrashekar, Vice President of the RDA and a Neurosurgery specialist, pointed out, “The current security measures are inadequate. We need an immediate increase in the number of security personnel, as referenced in the Government Order 103/2019.”

- Promulgation of a Central Protection Act: The doctors are also advocating for a central ordinance to provide uniform protection to healthcare workers across India.

Strike Boycott

Despite the Supreme Court's directive to resume duties, the RDA has made it clear that they will continue their indefinite boycott of outpatient services, elective surgeries, and academic activities until their demands are met.

Dr. Aditya Reddy, a specialist in Cardiovascular Surgery, said, “Our decision to boycott services is not taken lightly. We are committed to our patients, but without assurances from the state, we cannot continue to work in such vulnerable conditions.”

The association has also indicated its solidarity with the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T JUDA) and other State RDAs in this ongoing protest.

Awaiting Response

The RDA is now awaiting a response from the Telangana government. “We hope the government recognizes the urgency of this situation and takes the necessary steps to protect those who are on the frontline of healthcare,”. Dr. Akshara noted,

The outcome of this standoff will be closely monitored, as the demands of the resident doctors reflect broader concerns about the safety and security of healthcare professionals in India.